CTAN- 330 17850

Fundamentals of Animation

Spring 2011 Room: SCB 207

Thurs. 7:00PM–10:00PM

Tom Sito

tel 213-740-7809

office hours: Tues 4-6:00PM, Thurs 3-5PM

www.tomsito.com

SA- Willie Williams

Course Description

This course will be an advanced examination of the techniques involved in the creation of classic Hollywood Cartoon Animation, which aesthetics aside, is recognized around the world as the highest level of development of the Animator’s craft. We’ll be working mainly in 2D mediums, but these techniques are equally important in the creation of digital animation and visual effects. If you are more comfortable expressing yourself in a purely digital format, you may do so after securing the instructor’s permission.

Grades

Grading will not be based on a term film or finals. The class will be judged by completion of homework and in-class assignments illustrating the principles discussed in the evening’s lecture. Students will not be graded on personal drawing skills but that they attend the lectures and do the assignments to the best of their ability.

Grading Criteria

Assignments 40%

Class participation & Attendance 10%

Final project 50%

Projects will be evaluated on the following criteria:

a. Accuracy of assignment guidelines

b. Demonstration of principles covered in class

c. Communication of ideas

Final projects will be evaluated on the following criteria:

a. Completion

b. Communication of narrative or intent

c. Effectiveness of timing and execution

d. Effectiveness

Supplies

Paper, peg bars, Animation bond-paper, art supplies ( pencils and erasers, etc.). For Week Three you will need life drawing materials- Newsprint pad, drawing board, charcoal or conte’ crayons. Throughout the course you will need to store your assignments for review, either in a group folder, upon a USB drive, or personal VHS tape.

Required Text:

*CHARACTER ANIMATOR’S CRASH COURSE- by Eric Goldberg. (Silman James NY, 2008 )

------

WEEK 1. Jan. 13. Introduction to the course. Arcs, Squash and Stretch, Timing.

Assignment: Animate a falling leaf straight ahead. Reading: Goldberg: Pgs 102-109

2. Jan. 20nd. Story and Storyboards Reading: Goldberg: Pgs75-76, 88-97

Assignment: TWO WEEKS Create storyboard of scene from Chekov’s The Duel.

3. Jan 27th. Gesture, Line of Action. Model figure drawing session focusing on gesture and sequential movement.

4. Feb 3rd Walks and runs, cycles. Reading: Goldberg: Pgs8-10, 115

Assignment: Animate walk cycle observed from life.

5. Feb 10th. Overlap and Secondary motion. What is Secondary Action? How does it relate to Primary Action? Reading: Goldberg: Pgs122-129

Assignment: Secondary action exercise.

6. Feb 17st. Animal locomotion. Comparative animal-human anatomy, birds, quadrupeds.

Assignment: Animate a four legged work, or bird flight.

7. Feb 24th Field Trip- Motion Picture Academy Director’s Symposium

Reading: Goldberg: Pgs 67-74

8. March 3rd AARGHHH!! takes & reactions. Facial expressions. Tex Avery.

Assignment: animate a character “take” Reading: Goldberg: Pgs146-150

9. Mar 10nd Lip Sync. Reading: Goldberg Pg 151-163

Assignment: Animate lip sync from given track

MARCH 17TH SPRING BREAK

10. Mar 24th Animating to music. Working to tempo. Choreography.

Reading: Goldberg pg 176-181

Assignment: Animate character to a musical beat.

11. Mar 31st Acting and Animation, How to create a performance. Moving holds.

Reading: Goldberg: Pgs 3-7

Assignment: inbetweens from professional animated scene.

12. April 7th Special effects. Water, Smoke, Lightning. Reading: Goldberg: Pgs139-145

Assignment: Blow up a steam engine.

13. April 14th multicharacter scenes Reading: Goldberg: Pgs 84-85

Final Assignment: character doing something in a crowd while others unaware.

14.-April 21nd Roles in animation production. Portfolios. Reading: Goldberg: Pgs 80--84

15.- April 28h. Conclusions, review.

May 5th FINAL ASSIGNMENT DUE.

Suggested Reading.

* PREPARE TO BOARD! Creating Story and Characters for Animated Features and Shorts- By Nancy Beiman ( Focal Press/Elsevier, 2007)

* TIMING FOR ANIMATION – By Halas & Whitaker, New revised edition by Tom Sito, Focal/Elsevier Oct. 2009

*DISNEY ANIMATION: THE ILLUSION OF LIFE- By Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, (Abbeville Press 1981.)

* THE ANIMATORS SURVIVAL GUIDE- by Richard Williams, Faber & Faber Ltd. London 2005.

*ARTISTIC ANATOMY- By Dr. Paul Richer, translated from French by Robert Beverly Hale, Watson GuptiL. Everyone has a preferred book on artistic anatomy, this is mine.

Statement for Students with Disabilities

Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or to TA) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.

Statement on Academic Integrity

USC seeks to maintain an optimal learning environment. General principles of academic honesty include the concept of respect for the intellectual property of others, the expectation that individual work will be submitted unless otherwise allowed by an instructor, and the obligations both to protect one’s own academic work from misuse by others as well as to avoid using another’s work as one’s own. All students are expected to understand and abide by these principles. Scampus, the Student Guidebook, contains the Student Conduct Code in Section 11.00, while the recommended sanctions are located in Appendix A: http://www.usc.edu/dept/publications/SCAMPUS/gov/. Students will be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs and Community Standards for further review, should there be any suspicion of academic dishonesty. The Review process can be found at: http://www.usc.edu/student-affairs/SJACS/.

Instructor Accessibility: My office is in SCB 210k, I am usually there on the hours posted above. If you ever have a question or need any advice or critique from me, on either our course projects or any other of your animation production work, just make an appt or send me an e-mail.

------

“Animation is not Drawings that Move, it is Movement that is Drawn.”

Norman McClaren

3